The invention disclosed herein relates generally to drive apparatus for moving an object in two transverse directions, and more particularly to inking apparatus especially for a mailing machine for moving an ink pad from a home position to an inking position in which ink is applied to a printing device, and back again to the home position.
In the mail processing field, it is highly desirable to imprint postage and other indicia on envelopes, packages, tapes, etc., at high speed. With such high speed operation, particularly where high volume is involved, it is important to maintain the quality of imprinted postage and the other indicia.
A mailing machine for processing mail, particularly so-called mixed mail, may include a number of modules, for example modules which automatically feed the mail, weigh it and apply postage and indicia either directly to the mail piece or to a tape. Such a mailing machine may include a number of motors, solenoids or other prime movers for driving the various functions performed by the machine, and as the number of functions which the machine must perform increases, so typically does the number of prime movers.
The present invention is an improvement over the ink tray drive disclosed in application Ser. No. 427,946.